Richard "Dick" Puckett

September 9, 1932 ~ October 20, 2010

SALINAS - Richard "Dick" Puckett, 78, passed away at home on October 20, 2010. Dick was born on September 9, 1932 and grew up in Keno, Oregon with a rich heritage passed from his family of early pioneers, settlers and loggers in Southern Oregon. Dick has been a resident of Salinas for 50 years.

Dick attended Southern Oregon College in Ashland, Oregon and received his B.A. in Public Service with a Fine Arts Major and Education Major from the University of San Francisco. He spent 32 years in Civil Service building military museums and developing moral development programs for the Department of the Army. He was the Arts and Crafts Director for Fort Ord, Presidio of Monterey and Hunter Liggett from 1960 through 1985 when he retired. His passion for providing enrichment opportunities for our soldiers inspired him to build the largest military Arts and Crafts program in the world at Fort Ord. Covering two city blocks, the Fort Ord Arts and Crafts program offered hundreds of classes for soldiers and their dependents including painting in all mediums, photography, glass blowing, ceramics and porcelain, auto shop, sculpture, jewelry, leather, woodworking and stained glass, just to name a few. The Fort Ord Arts and Crafts program and Richard Puckett received numerous national and worldwide awards. He believed that one of his greatest honors in life was being able to teach and share his passions for the arts with so many soldiers and their families.

Dick loved this community and strongly believed in giving back. For the past ten years, he worked with students at CSUMB and donated thousands of artifacts, photos and historical documentation towards the project of opening the Fort Ord historical museum. He was the president of the Salinas Valley Art Association for the past nine years and avidly encouraged art programs for children throughout the community.

Dick never met a stranger and, along with his passion for art, collecting and history, he collected and treasured friends throughout his life. His warm and caring heart embraced those of us that are fortunate to have known him and his passion for life inspires us all. Even from his bed these past few months he has inspired a new program that will touch the lives of each soldier serving in combat.

"You gotta have art" was Dick's motto and he lived passionately by that. He believed that when someone learned to paint, they learned to "see the world differently". Even while in poor health, Dick believed that "a painting a day kept the doctors away". Dick was just as passionate about his faith, family and friends and he leaves a rich heritage behind for those that knew him.

An artist, a historian, a collector, a grandfather, a great grandfather, a wonderful father and a friend, Dick was one of our area's true treasures. He was trusted, respected, admired wherever he went, and will be greatly missed.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Velma in 1985. He is survived by three daughters, Michelle Briggs of Pleasanton, Susan Rowland of Carmel Valley, and Deborah Oden and his son-in-law, Robert Oden of Vonore, Tennessee; his son, Greg Puckett of Seattle, Washington; nine grandchildren; two great grandchildren and his sister, Bessie Hustead of Everett, Washington.

Dick Puckett's visitation is on Tuesday, October 26, 2010 from 6:00-8:00pm with his memorial service at 10:00am Wednesday, October 27, 2010, both at Struve and Laporte Chapel, 41 West San Luis, Salinas, CA 93901.

Donations may be made to the National Steinbeck Center Children's Art Program, 1 Main Street, Salinas, CA 93901 or to the Arts Council for Monterey County, P.O. Box 7495, Carmel, CA 93921. Both organizations passionately support and provide art programs for children throughout the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley.

Funeral arrangements are by Struve and Laporte Chapel.

Online condolences etc. may be left at: info@puckettart.com

Coming early November 2010:
His Life / Exhibits / Personal Collections
Fine Art / Photo Galleries
Other Mediums (sculpture, glass, porcelain)
Purchase Richard's Art

For updates etc. please email us at info@puckettart.com

Original Art by Richard Puckett